Postage-stamper.



E. G. L. LANGLEY. POSTAGE STAMPER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY4,19I1.

1,277,323. Patented Aug. 27, 1913;

gnmntoz E'llmnyley.

E. G. L. LANGLEY.

POSTAGE STAMPER.

APPLICATION men MAY 4,1911.

1 77,323. Patented Aug. 27, 1915i 4 SHEIETS+SHEET 2.

gmnntoz E. G. L. LANGLEY.

POSTAGE STAMPER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 4. 1911. 1,277,323. Patented Aug. 27, 1918. -4 SHEETSSHEET a.

Wil'naop E. G. L. LANGLEY.

POSTAGE STAMPER. 7

APPLICATION EII .ED MAY 4. HM].

Patented Aug. 27, 1918.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

50 the provision of a postage stamper of the D'STA s PA;

n1 oEFIoE.

POSTAGE-STAMPER.

To all whom it may concern;

, Be it known that I, EDWIN GEORGE L.

LANGLEY, a subject of the Kingof Great i a full, clear, and exact description ofv the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame. I

This invention relatesto improvements in a postage stamper and more particularly 'to a machine for applying postage stamps to letters or the like and has for one of its objects, the provision of a device of the above stated character, which is capable of permitting a letter to be inserted in the machine and upon operating the machine, a stamp will be applied and aflixed thereto.

Another object of this invention is to provide means for automatically stopping the operation of the machine after a stamp has been applied to a letter and the machine has completed a single operation.

A further object of this invention is the provision of means for setting the automatic stopping means prior to the operation of the machine, thus preventing the application of more than onestamp upon a letter by continuing the operation of the machine after a sin 1e operation has been completed.

E further object of this invention is to provide a novel form of stamp applying roller, which will receive the stamp from a feeder and moisten the same and deposit it upon a letter.

A further object of this invention is to provide means for compressing the letter and stamp against the stamp applying roller so that the stamp will be thoroughly aflixed to the envelop.

A further object of this invention is the provision of means, which will grip and hold a stamp upon the stamp. applying roller, and which will automatically release the stamp so that the same may be applied to the letter.

A still further object of this invention is above stated character, which shall be simple, durable and efiicient, and which may be manufactured and sold at a comparatively low cost.

With these and. other ob ects in view as Specification of Iiett ers Patent. Patented Aug. 27, 1918. Application filed May 4, 1917. Serial No. 166,413.

will become more apparent as the description proceeds, the invention consists in certaln novel features of-constructiom'combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully' described and claimed.

For a complete understanding of my in ventlon, reference is to be had to the followmg description and accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation partly in section of a postage stamper constructed in accordance with my invention,

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation partly in section of the same,

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional View illustrating the means .of applying the stamps to the stamp applying roller,-

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of .the means for automatically stopping the operation of the machine after a single operation thereof,

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary detail sectional view of the automatic stopping means,

Fig. 6 is an end elevation of the automatic means for operating the automatic stopping means,

Fig. 7 is an end elevation partly, in section of the stamp applying roller illustrating the means of securing the stamps to the roller.

-Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the stamp feeding hopper,

Fig. 9 is a detail sectionalfview of a gage mounted upon the longitudinal'upper edges,

presser boards 4 and 5. The presser board 4 is disposed over the board 5 and has its front edge hinged to the front edge of the,

lower presser board 5 as illustrated at 6 for permitting the presser board 4 to move in relation to the presser board 5. Plates 7 are secured to the rear end of the presser board 4 and upon the under face thereof and have formed th reon, downwardly depending guide pins 8, which are slidably received within plates 9 secured to the lower presser board 5, whereby the rear end of the presser board 4 is supported in an elevated position with relation tothe rear end of the presser board 5 and which permits the presser board'- of the U-shaped member 12 is located adjacent the rear ends of the supporting members 3 and has an arm 14 formed thereon adjacent one of its arm portions as clearly shown in Fig. 10. The arm 14 has journaled.

to its free end a roller 15, which travels in an eccentric groove 16, which is formed within a wheel 17. The wheel 17 is journaled upon a shaft 18 carried by vertically dlsposed standards 19 that are secured to the base or bottom 2 of the casing 1, as shown at 20.

A shaft 21 is journaledin the supporting members 3 and has mounted thereon, a pulley 22 on which a belt 23 travels. The belt 23 is mounted upon a pulley 24, which is secured to the shaft 18, whereby upon rotating the shaft 21, the shaft 18 will be driven thereby, rotating the wheel 17 and reciprocating the substantially U-shaped member 12 on the supporting standards 10.

The arm 14 formed upon the substantially U-shaped member 12 is slidably mounted adjacent the wheel 17 in a vertically disposed supporting standard 26, which is secured to the base or bottom 2 of the casing as shown at 27. Plates 28 are secured to the ends of the arm portions of the substantially U-shaped member 12 and are vertically disposed as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 3 and have formed therein, elongated slots 29, which receive links 30 carried by the front end of the presser board 5 for sliding the presser boards 4 and 5 upon the supporting members 3 when rotation of the shaft 18 is made by the shaft 21. A suitable letter guard 31 is secured to the upper face-of the presser board 4' and is adapted to receive and guide letters upon the presser board 4 received by way of the opening 32in the casing 1.

A main drive shaft 33'is journaled within the casing 1 and has one end thereof disposed exteriorly of the casing to which is secured, a crank handle 34 for rotating the drive shaft. The drive shaft 33 has secured thereto, a gear 35 which meshes with the gear 36 carried by the shaft 21, whereby upon rotation of thedrive shaft 33, by the crank handle 34, the shaft 21 will be driven through the gears 35 and 36.

An elliptical stamp applying roller 37 is eccentrically' mounted upon the drive shaft 33 as shown in Fig. 7. The roller 37 is provided with a'raised portion 38 for the purpose of forming a seat or rest for a postage stamp. The roller 37 is provided with a. groove or recess 39 adjacent the raised portion 38 in which is mounted a gripper 40. The gripper 40 is hinged to the roller 37 as shown at 41 and has formed upon its free edge, teeth 42, that are adapted to normally rest upon a metallic strip 43 embedded within the roller 37 to prevent the teeth from biting in to or injuring the roller. The gripper 40 has a spring 44 connected thereto at one thereof and has its opposite end connected to the roller 37 as shown at 45 for the purpose of normally holding the gripper 40 in a closed position or seated within the recess or groove 39. The gripper 40 is adapted to receive and hold a post stamp upon the raised portion 38 with the applying roller 37. The hopper 46 is prov vided with an outlet chute 51 upon its front wall adjacent its lower end, and is adapted to receive one postage stamp at a time from the hopper, the postage stamp being held against accidental displacement upon the chute 51 by resilient arms 52, which are carried by the front wall of the hopper and have their free ends disposed at a point beyond the end of the chute 51, the end of the chute 51 being disposed adjacent the periphery of the stamp applying roller 37 so that the postage stamp may be put upon the raised portion 38 and held thereon by the gripper 40. The bottom wall of the hopper 46 is open and has formed upon its longitudinal edgesinwardly directed flanges 53 for the purpose of supporting the stamps 47 within the hopper 46. The upper hopper end of the hopper 46 is closed by a removable cover 54, which has secured to its under face an expansion spring 55 carrying a follower 56, which urges the stamps 47 downwardly within the hopper.- A shaft 57 is journaled in the casing 1 and is disposed directly under the hopper 46 and has mounted thereon, a drum 58 provided with a plurality of teeth 59 for the purpose of engaging the lowermost stamp within the hopper 46 and shoving the same outwardly uponthe chute 51 and on to the raised portion 38 of the stamp applying drum 37. The shaft 57 has mounted thereon, a pulley 60, which carries'a belt drive shaft 33, whereby upon rotationof the drive shaft 33, the shaft 57 will be rotated,

causin the teeth 59 upon the drum 58 to move t e lowermost stamp within the hopper 46 on to the raised portion 38 of the stamp applying roller.

An arm 63 1s secured to one end of the gripper 40 and has mounted upon its'free end, a roller 64 adapted to travel about the periphery of a cam 65, which is rigidly sup-' ported adjacent one end of the stamp appl mg roller 37 by a support 66. The roller 4 travels about the perlphery of. the cam 65 and will cause the gripper 40 to open an release the stamp as the raised portion 38 bearing the stamp moves adjacent the rear 1 end of the presser board 4, so that the stamp will be deposited upon the letter. The cam 65 is of such a shape that it wil hold the gripper open froma point after it has deposited the stamp upon the letter upon the presser board 4' until another stamp has been applied or positioned upon the raised portion 38 whence the gripper 40 moves to a closed position, the teeth thereon engagmg the stamp and holding the same firmly upon the raised portion 38. j 7

A locking member 67 is slidably mounted upon a supporting block 68 carried by the casing 1 by means of a pin 69 extending through a slot 70 in the locking member. One end of the locking member 67 is enlarged as shown at 71 and has formed thereon a curved extension 72 that is slidably mounted within an elongated slot 73 in a support 74 carried by the casing 1. The other end of the locking member 67 is reduced to form a locking extension 75, which is adapted to be received within a recess 76 formed within a disk 77 that is mounted upon the drive shaft 33, whereby the drive shaft is held against rotation. A support 78 is carried by the casing to which is connected a spring 79 that is received within an ear 80 mounted upon'the enlarged end 68 so that the locking extension 75 w' 1 engage the periphery of'the disk 77 at'all of the operating rod 81 is pivote to an op erating lever 84 as shown at 85. The operating lever has formed upon its outer end a handle 86, which is disposed exteriorly o: the casing 1 by way of an elongated slot 87. The lower end of the operating lever 84 is permanently secured to an automatic release 88 as shown at 89. The automatic release 88" is] .ivoted to-the cam 65 as shown at 90. A

.001 ed spring 91- is connected to the operat? main int e notch 76 ofthe disk 77, thereby I holding the machine against operation.

The releasing member 88 has formed thereon, an extension 92, which is adapted to be received within'a notch 93 of a catch 94 that is pivoted to the cam 65 as shown at-95. ,By swinging thoperating lever 84 forwardly, by, the handle 86, the locking extension is withdrawn from the disk 77 freeing the drive shaft so, that the machine may be operated. As the operating lever 84 moves forwardly, it swings the automatic releasing member 88 into an engagement with the catch 94 locking said automatic releasing member in a closed position as shown in Fig. 4. The/catch 94 is spring pressed by a spring 96 so as to. retain tthecatch' into engagement With thetongue 92 of the auto matic releasing lever 88. When the catch 94 and the automatic releasing member 88 are moved into engagement with each other or'in a locked position, the outer edges of the catch 94 and the automatic releasing member conform to the contour of the cam 65 so that upon the roller 64 traveling about the cam 65 it will not be interfered with by the catch 94 and the automatic releasing member 88.

A pin 97 is secured to the one end of the stamp a plying roller 37 and is adapted to engage t e lug 98 upon the catch 94 to release the catch 94 from engagement with the automaticreleasing member 88. The pin 97 engages the projection or lug 98 upon the catch when the machine has completed a single stamp applying operation so that the automatic releasing member 88-will swing to an open position as shown in Fi I. 6, permitting the lever 84 to moverearward yunder the influence ofthespring' 91 which causes the 0p- 71 of the locking member 67, whereby the locking member 67 is slid upon the" su port g ber 6Zto slidejjuponthe supports 68 and 73,

eratinglrod 81 o gmoverearwardly permitting thspri-ii I 9 i'to force the locking mempermi'ttiiigtheilocking extension 75 to move into the rooess' 76 of the disk 77, locking the machineiagainst operation, thus it will be noted that it is necessary to move the operating lever 84 forwardly before the machine can be operated so asto release the locking member 67 from the disk 77.

A pairtoi cams 99' are-secured to the shaft 21 and are adapted to engage the presser board 5 for raising the presser boards 4 and 5 upwardly when the stamp has been applied to the letter for the purpose of compressingthe stamp and letter against the roller 37, causing the stamp to thoroughly adhere to the envelop. I r

A tank 100 is secured within the casing &

and has the front wall thereof disposed a dthe casing and to which is secured an indicating hand 105. An arcuate shaped plate 106 is carried by the casing adjacent the indicat ing hand 105 and has applied thereon, a

sultable scale as clearlyshown in Fig. 9, whereby the amount of water contained in the tank 100 may be readily determined by the indicating hand 105 indicating to the scale upon the arcuate shaped member 106.

A shaft 107 is journaled in the casing 1 and extends through the tank 100 and hasmounted thereon, a moistening roller 108. The moistening roller 108 is adapted to apply water or moisture upon the adhesive side of the stamp as the same travels with the stamp applyin roller 37 upon the raised portion 38 thereo .so that when the stamp is applied to the letter upon the presser board 4, the adhesive material on the stamp is moistened so that the same Will readily adhere to the letter. The shaft 107 has secured thereto a pulley 109 on which is mounted a belt 110. Thebelt 110 passes over a pulley 111 carried by the drive shaft 33, whereby upon rotation of the drive shaft 33, the moistening roller 108 will be rotated, supplying moisture to the stamps carried by the stamp applying roller 37 The supporting beam 49, which supportsthe hopper 46 is adjustably secured to the casing 1 by brackets 112, whereby the hopper 46 may be moved toward and fromthe stamp applying roller 37 as desired.

In operation, the operating handle 86 is pulled forwardly disengaging the locking member 67 from the notch 76 of the disk 77 freeing the drive shaft 33. As the operating lever 84 is moved forwardly, the automatic releasing member 88 is moved into engagement with the catch 94 and held in a' locked position. The drive shaft 33 is then rotated and a stamp is placed upon the raised portion 38 of the roller by the drum 58. At this point, the grippersare'opened and upon further rotation of the drive shaft 33, the grippers move into closed position permitt-ing the teeth thereon to grip and hold shaft 33, the stamp moves in the direction of the presser boards 4 and 5, and as the stamp reaches the presser boards, the cam 65,

opens the gripper and permits the postage way of the opening 32 in the casing 1. Upon further rotation of the shaft 33, the arm 63 follows the curvature of the cam 65, holding the gripper open until another stamp has been applied to the raised portion 38,

this other stamp being applied to the raised portion 38 after the shaft 33 has completed a single revolution or upon another operation of the machine. completing a single revolution, the pin 97 engages the lug 98 upon the catch 94, freemg the automatic releasing member 88,.

which permits the locking member 67 to en- Upon the shaft 33 gage the notch 76 in the disk 77 and locks the drive shaft 33 against further rotation, thus preventing more than one stamp to be applied to a letter upon a single operation of the machine. Immediately upon pulling the operating lever 84 forwardly, the machine is again ready to apply another stamp upon the same or another letter. As the stamp is applied upon the letter the presser boards are raised upwardly by the cams 99 compressing the letter and stamp against the stamp applying roller 37. The presser boards 4 and 5 then move rearwardly in the direction of the opening 32 by means of the wheel 17 so that'the letter may be readily reached by the operator and removed from the presser boards.

While I have shown and described the prefererd embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that minor changes in construction, combination and arrangement of parts may be made without departing stamp to be applied to the letter. The letter is placed upon the presser board 5 and against the front wall of the tank 100 by from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A stamp applying machine comprising a casing, a letter supporting means within said casing, an elliptical stamp applying roller eccentrically mounted within said casin means for depositing stamps upon said ro ler, and means for holding said stamps upon the roller prior to applying them to letters.

2. A stamp applying machine comprising a casing, a letter supporting means within said casing, a stamp applying drum jour-v na'led in said casing, a hopper carried by said casing, a chute formed on said hopper and located adjacent the roller, spring fingeI's carried by'said hop-per and adapted to engage the stamps as they pass over the chute, and means for dispensing the stamps from the hopper on to the drum.

3. A stamp applying machine comprising a casing, a letter supporting means located within said casing, a stamp applying roller journaled within said casing and adapted to apply a stamp on a letter carried by said.

letter supporting means, a hopper adjustably secured to the casing and adapted to deposit stamps upon the stamp applying plete revolution.

4, A stam applying machine comprising a casing, a etter supporting means within said casing, a shaft journaled in said casing,

a stampapplying roller carried by said shaft, means for depositing stamps u on the roller, a gripper carried by said r0 ler and adapted to en age the stamps, a cam secured within sai casing, means carr ed by the gripper and engag1ng the cam for dlsengagin-gthe gripper from the stamp prior to app-lying the stamp to a letter, and means for locking the Shaft against rotation.

5.. A stam applying machme comprising a casing, a etter supporting means Within said casing, a drive shaft journaled Within said casing, a stamp applying roller carried by said shaft, means for applying stamps to said roller, a gripper carried by said roller and adapted to retain a stamp upon said roller, a cam secured to said casing, means the cam for releasing the gripper from e stamp prior to applying the stamp to a letter, a locking means located Within said-casing and adapted to lock the drive shaft agalnst rotation, and means for releasing said last named means. 1

6. A stampapplying machine comprising a casing, a letter supporting means carried by said casing, a drive shaft 3ournaled in said casing, a stamp applying roller carried'by said shaft, means for supplying stamps to said roller, means for holding stamps upon said roller, a'cam secured to said casing andv adapted to release the last named means from the stamps, .a locking means located said casing, a drive shaft journaled in said within said casing, a disk secured to the drive shaft and having a notch adapted to receive the locking means to hold the drivev shaft against rotation, and means for disengaging the lockin means from the disk to,

ree the drive sha t.

7. A stamp applying machine comprising a casing, a drive shaft journaled in said casing, a stamp applying roller carried by said shaft, means for depositing stamps upon said roller, a ,locking member slidably mounted Within said casing, a disk secured to said shaft having a notch therein and adapted to receive the locking member to hold the shaft against rotation, means for disengaging the locking member from the notch in'the disk to free the shaft, and an automatic means for releasingthelast named means to permit the locking member to engage the notch of the disk to lock the shaft a ainst rotation after a complete revolution of the stamp applying roller.

8. A stamp applying machine comprising a casing, a letter supporting means Within casing, a stamp applying roller journaled "in said casin means for su lyin stam s r a PP casing,

to said roller, a cam secured n sai a cam secured to the shaft and havin a' notch therein, a locking member slida le first named disk and connected to the locking member to disengage it from the second named disk to free the drive shaft.

9. stamp applying machine comprising a cas1ng, a letter supporting means Within said casing, a drive shaft journaled-in said casing, a stamp applying roller carried by said casing, means for supplying stamps to said roller, a disk secured to said shaft and having a notch therein, supporting brackets secured to said casin a locking member slidably mounted on-sai supporting brackets, a locking extension formed on said locking member and adapted to be received Within the notch of the disk, a spring for urging the locking member in the direction of the disk, and an operating lever for disengaging the locking member from the disk.

10. A stamp applying machine comprising a casing, a letter supporting means Within said casing, a drive shaft journaled in said casing, a stamp applying roller carried by said shaft, means for applying stamps to said roller, a cam secured to the casing, a locking member slidable in said casing and adapted to hold the shaft against rotation, and an automatic releasing member carried by said cam, an operating lever carried by said automatic releasing member and connected to the locking member, means for locking the automatic releasing member in a closed position upon forward movement of the lever to release'the locking member from the shaft, and means for automatically releasing the automatic releasing means upon a complete rotation of the roller.

11. A stamp applying m ichine comprising a casing, a letter supporting means Withinsaid cam, a catch carried by said cam, an

operating lever carried by the automatic releasing member and connected with the looking means and adapted to move the automatic releasing member into engagement with the catch upon releasing the locking means from the shaft, and a lug carried by said roller and adapted to engage the catch to release the automatic releasing means to permit the locking means to lock the shaft against rotation upon a complete revolution of the roller.

12. A stamp applying machine comprising a casing, a letter supporting means within said casing, a stamp applying roller ]ournaled in said casing, means for supplying said casing, a stamp applying means within said casing, a tank located within said casing, means for. supplying moisture from the tank to the stamps, a erforated cylindrlcal member located within said tank, a float slidable in said cylindrical member, a rack bar secured to said float, a stub shaft secured to said casing, an arcuate shaped memher havin .the tail thereon located adjacent the stub s aft, a gear journaled on said stub shaft, and in mesh with the rack bar, and an indicating hand secured to the gear and adapted to register the amount of water within the tank upon the gear on the arcuate shaped member.

14. A stamp applying machine comprlsing a casing, supporting members within said casing, resser boards carried by said members and adapted to receive letters, a stamp applying roller within said casing and adapted to apply stamps to the letters on said presser boards.

15. A stamp applying machine comprising a casing, supporting members within said casing, sprlng pressed presser boards carried by said supports, means for reciprocating said boards, and a stamp applying roller journaled in said casing and adapted to aply stamps upon letters upon the presser cards.

16. A stamp applying machine comprising a casing, supporting members within said casing, a presser board slidable on said members, a presser board hinged to the first named presser board and receiving letters, means for movably supporting the rear ends of the presser boards apart, and a stamp applying roller journaled in said casing and adapted to apply stamps on the letters carried by the second resser board.

17. A stamp app ying machine comprising a casing, supporting members within said casing, presser boards slidably mounted u on said supporting members, means for sliding said resser boards upon the supportin mem ers, a stamp applying roller journa ed in said casing, and means for raising the presser boards toward the stamp applying roller.

18. A stamp applying machine comprising a casing, supporting members wlthin said casing, presser boards carried by' said members, means for reciprocating said presser boards, a stamp applying roller journaled in said casing, and a cam for raising the presser boards to exert pressure upon the letter and stamp against the stamp applying roller.

19. A stamp applying machine comprising a casing, supporting members wlthin said casing, a stamp applying roller jour-.

naled within said casing, presser boards mounted upon said supporting members, a substantially U-shaped member slidably mounted within said casing, and means for connecting the arm portions of the substantially U-shaped member to the presser boards, and means for reciprocating the substantially U-shapod member to reciprocate the presser boards.

20. A stampvapplying machine comprising a casing, presser boards slidably mounted within said casing, a stamp applying roller journaled within said casing, a substantially U-shaped member slidably mounted within said casing, means for connecting the ends of the arm portions of the substantially U-shaped member to the presser boards, an arm formed on the web portion of the substantially U-shaped member, a

wheel journaled within said casing, and

having an eccentric groove, a roller carried by said' arm and traveling in said groove, and means for rotating said wheel to recip rocate the presser boards.

In testimony whereof Iv-afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDWIN GEORGE L. LANGLEY.

Witnesses:

ELLEN LANGLEY, MINNIE V. LUCEY.. 

